Name: Minestra di fagioli e castagne
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 865 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300 g Dried borlotti beans (dry weight, sorted and rinsed); 5,000 ml Water (Bean soaking bath: 1500 ml, cold; discard. Bean cooking bath: 2000 ml, fresh water; retain some cooking liquor for the soup. Chestnut cooking bath: 1000 ml, separate; discard. Bean cooking reserve: 500 ml, hot; add only if needed.); 150 g Raw peeled chestnuts (kernels without shell and inner skin); 50 g Pancetta stesa (cut into small cubes); 15 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 5 g Garlic (peeled and chopped); 7 g Dried sweet red pepper powder (sweet, not hot chilli); 6 g Fine salt (start with half; adjust for the pancetta)

Cook the beans fully, but stop the chestnuts before they fall apart.

Make ahead Soak the dry beans the night before and prepare the chestnut kernels before starting the pots.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 1 hr 40 min
Rest: 12 hr
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium

Minestra di fagioli e castagne

Prep 45 min · Cook 1 hr 40 min · Rest 12 hr · Serves 4 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

Beans

300 g10½ oz
Dried borlotti beansdry weight, sorted and rinseddry weight, sorted and rinsed

Soaking

5,000 ml21¼ cups
WaterBean soaking bath: 1500 ml, cold; discard. Bean cooking bath: 2000 ml, fresh water; retain some cooking liquor for the soup. Chestnut cooking bath: 1000 ml, separate; discard. Bean cooking reserve: 500 ml, hot; add only if needed.Bean soaking bath: 6⅓ cups, cold; discard. Bean cooking bath: 8½ cups, fresh water; retain some cooking liquor for the soup. Chestnut cooking bath: 4¼ cups, separate; discard. Bean cooking reserve: 2 cups, hot; add only if needed.

Chestnuts

150 g5½ oz
Raw peeled chestnutskernels without shell and inner skinkernels without shell and inner skin

Seasoning

50 g1¾ oz
Pancetta stesacut into small cubescut into small cubes
15 ml1 tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil
5 g5 g
Garlicpeeled and choppedpeeled and chopped
7 g1 tbsp
Dried sweet red pepper powdersweet, not hot chillisweet, not hot chilli
6 g1 tsp
Fine saltstart with half; adjust for the pancettastart with half; adjust for the pancetta

Equipment

Bean pot, at least 4 liters, and separate chestnut pot, at least 2 liters
Wide casserole, colander and ladle

Method

Cover the dry beans with the cold soaking water and leave for at least 12 hours in a cool place. Drain and rinse; discard that water. Follow any longer soaking or cooking instructions on the bean packet.Cover the dry beans with the cold soaking water and leave for at least 12 hours in a cool place. Drain and rinse; discard that water. Follow any longer soaking or cooking instructions on the bean packet.
Put the beans in the fresh cooking water in a pot of at least 4 liters. Bring to a full boil and boil vigorously for 30 minutes, then simmer until completely tender, usually another 40–60 minutes. Keep them covered with liquid, adding a little of the hot reserve water if necessary. Do not cook dried beans from raw in a slow cooker.Put the beans in the fresh cooking water in a pot of at least 17 cups. Bring to a full boil and boil vigorously for 30 minutes, then simmer until completely tender, usually another 40–60 minutes. Keep them covered with liquid, adding a little of the hot reserve water if necessary. Do not cook dried beans from raw in a slow cooker.
Meanwhile, check the chestnut kernels and remove any remaining inner skin. Cook them separately in their water for about 20–25 minutes, just until tender but still holding their shape. Drain. Lift out the cooked beans, keeping their cooking liquor; reserve about 500 ml for finishing.Meanwhile, check the chestnut kernels and remove any remaining inner skin. Cook them separately in their water for about 20–25 minutes, just until tender but still holding their shape. Drain. Lift out the cooked beans, keeping their cooking liquor; reserve about 2 cups for finishing.
Warm the oil in a wide casserole. Cook the pancetta gently for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and stir briefly. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sweet pepper powder without letting it scorch. Add the beans, chestnuts and enough reserved bean liquor to make a thick soup.Warm the oil in a wide casserole. Cook the pancetta gently for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and stir briefly. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sweet pepper powder without letting it scorch. Add the beans, chestnuts and enough reserved bean liquor to make a thick soup.
Return to low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring gently so the chestnuts stay whole. Add half the salt, taste and use the rest only as needed. Serve hot with a little broth around the beans, rather than reducing everything to a purée.Return to low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring gently so the chestnuts stay whole. Add half the salt, taste and use the rest only as needed. Serve hot with a little broth around the beans, rather than reducing everything to a purée.